


Nature’s A Cruel Mother

by PeterPiperPickedAPeckOfPickledPeppers



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angry Gwen (Camp Camp), Angst, Caring David (Camp Camp), David Angst, David Being David (Camp Camp), David Has PTSD (Camp Camp), Episode: s04e12 The Forest, Fluff, Gen, Hurt David (Camp Camp), Hurt/Comfort, No David/Max (Camp Camp), Platonic Relationships, Protective Gwen (Camp Camp), Protective Max (Camp Camp), Spoilers For Episode: s0e12 The Forest, Tired David (Camp Camp)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterPiperPickedAPeckOfPickledPeppers/pseuds/PeterPiperPickedAPeckOfPickledPeppers
Summary: What were they supposed to think? That David tripped on a candy wrapper and landed into a canoe that led him down a waterfall and into the middle of the forest where he had to rough it out until he found his way back to camp?Of course not. Like any other normal human being, they thought David left.
Relationships: David & Gwen (Camp Camp), David & Max (Camp Camp)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 144





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya guys, I’ll be adding another chapter soon. This is gonna be a two-shot, but I don’t know how to change the little number thingy to 2. Sorry about that. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Edit: there are now two chapters.

Gwen hadn’t known what to expect that morning. 

She thought it would’ve played out like the days before today, falling into a routine after David’s sudden disappearance; wake up, glance over to his— _the_ bed sitting next to her, cry for a bit upon seeing the empty nature of it and realize that she can’t tackle all the responsibilities of maintaining the camp, make _another_ realization that she can and _will_ tackle the responsibilities of the camp because if David could do it—then she could do it, cry again because David _left—_ most likely because he couldn’t handle Camp Campbell anymore and if the happy-go-lucky _David_ couldn’t do it—then how could she, and get out of bed to deal with the campers’ individual activities.

It was a routine that she had fallen into, and had _worked_ for her, even if dealing with Camp Campbell’s problems was starting to suck away her dwindling energy. The only thing that fed her, was pure rage and confusion. Rage, because David abandoned Camp Campbell (and her) without any goodbye or notice. Confusion, because David had left without any of his stuff. Gwen figured this out through texting David’s phone over and over before hearing his ringtone in the other side of the room.

She decided to check the trails with the kids as a last resort, because maybe, just _maybe_ , David could’ve gotten lost. She knew, however, in the back of her mind that there was no way David could’ve gotten lost in the trails that have been there since his childhood. David, the camp obsessed man, had to have memorized all the trails like the back of his hand. It was just unspeakable of Gwen to even think that he must’ve gotten lost on one of the hiking trails. But hey, she was desperate.  
  


So, David must’ve left. It was the only logical reason. She eventually gave up on trying to find David, because if he didn’t want to be found—then so be it.

And besides, she got to have David’s paycheck, the rest of the cabin, and David’s stuff. That was a plus.

  
Well, until she woke up to David snoozing off on top of the— _his_ bed.

At first, she was _furious._ Because how could David just leave her after repeating so many times that they were _CBFL’s_ and reiterating time and time again that he absolutely _adored_ Camp Campbell ever since he was a child and that becoming a camp counselor here was his dream job, then apologizing for causing Gwen to have a mental breakdown about how she wasn’t successful in life? How could David just leave like that without a trace or a clue to where he went or even just saying goodbye? Was she really not as important to him? Was everything he ever said about Gwen a _lie?_

But then, she looked more closely at how David appeared. Or—more accurately—how _disheveled_ he was.

His usually smooth as a baby’s bottom face was now sporting a gruff beard that was left untamed by the looks of it. His jean shorts were torn and stained by mud and dirt in several places, while not even having a proper shirt—instead wearing a makeshift one crafted from various sorts of leaves. His body wasn’t in great shape either. Well, he looked like he gained some muscle—but in return, had gained some nasty scars to match.

Overall, he looked like shit.

And Gwen didn’t know how to deal with this _._

She sat up in her bed, contemplating whether or not the kids poisoned her and that this was a fever dream she was having while frothing at the mouth in the mess hall. After a _very_ hard pinch, she concluded that—yes, this was real, and yes—she was _not_ dreaming.

After that newfound enlightenment, she decided that it was best to approach David and wake him up carefully, as to not scare or surprise him. He looked like he had been through a lot, and Gwen did _not_ want to contribute to the problem. Despite that, she needed to show David that he needed to give Gwen his location if he was going to disappear like that. Gwen needed to prepare for the onslaught of Camp Campbell if David was going to... leave.

Gwen did as she planned and placed a hand on David’s shoulder. David, however, woke up with a glare that could kill and jumped out of his bed in a defensive position, ready to strike anything that came barreling towards him. The moment he realized he was in the cabin, with a little more than concerned Gwen, he sighed (almost sounding at ease) and collapsed back into his bed.

David rubbed the back of his neck (the yellow shirt now wrapped around his arm, Gwen noted) and wore a weary smile. “Sorry about that, Gwen. Forgot where I was for a second,” David said, lacking his usual cheery tone.

Gwen sat down next to David, awaiting more details of what he meant by that statement. What had David gone through if he needed to be so in sync with his surroundings, needing to be on edge? When nothing else from David was said, Gwen decided that she would force it out of him.

“Where were you?”

David blinked doe-like, giving a look to Gwen as if he didn’t know the meaning of those words.

Gwen repeated her previous question,”Where _were you?”_

“I… I was in the forest,” David answered.

Gwen scoffed. “The hell you were. We looked all over the hiking trails almost every fucking day when we weren’t doing camp activities. We thought you just up and left because no one could be that happy without having some sort of issue. We thought you just—just _gave up_ and decided, _fuck it,_ this job wasn’t worth it anymore—that this wasn’t worth the eff—“

David grabbed Gwen’s hand, and gave it a small squeeze for reassurance. “I made it here by _not_ giving up.”

And then it clicked.

David couldn’t have been on the hiking trails because he was actually _in_ the forest. Not on any of the trails, but out in the woods where the trails didn’t reach. He was _lost_ out in the woods for almost a month, yet no help came because everyone thought he up and left—but in all actuality, was _surviving_ in the woods, _hoping_ for help to arrive and when none came—decided to find his way back by roughing it. He’d _wanted_ to come back and _made_ his way back by not giving up and letting cruel Mother Nature consume him. The reality of his disappearance was the opposite of what everyone thought, what everyone _believed._

Gwen stared at David with teary eyes, her anger having been quelled at the newfound realization. “Then...why…?” _Why did you come back to this hellhole?_ was the question they both knew she was attempting to ask. Because really, what else could Gwen say to her best friend trying even when everyone else gave up? What could Gwen say to clean the wounds of Mother Nature’s fangs sinking into David’s flesh, leaving a scar that could never be erased? _Fuck_ , David _had_ to be traumatized by now. 

“Because Camp Campbell’s a place for me and you,” David sang in a small voice.

Gwen broke out in laughter. She laughed out of disbelief at how her fellow counselor still could love the camp and nature so fiercely, even quoting a camp song after seeing and experiencing the heartlessness of nature. Gwen just couldn’t believe that someone like that existed. That it was possible for someone to still love something after it _destroyed_ you.

So she fucking laughed at the pun. She knew it was terrible, but she didn’t know what else to do. She clutched at her sides, laughing every single one of her emotions out. The rage, fear, and relief. All of them.

After more than a few minutes of Gwen’s laughter, David seemed to grow more and more worried for her sanity. He squeezed her hand again (Gwen didn’t even notice they were still holding hands) and piped up, “Are you doing alright, Gwen?”

Gwen’s laughing fit stopped abruptly, and she clenched her fist. “Are—are you kidding me?”

“No?”

“You can’t be serious.” Gwen furrowed her brow and jumped up from the bed, running her hand through her hair as she paced and forth. “ _I’m_ the one who’s supposed to ask you that,” she said with a forced chuckle. “You’re the one who’s been just— _roughing it out_ in the woods with _who knows what_ and we’ve been here like sitting ducks and—“

“Hey, hey. Remember what we said? You can’t work yourself into a panic attack.” David joined her on the floor. She didn’t even notice she had curled into a ball. “In and out, ok?”

Gwen nodded.

“In for four seconds, hold for seven, and out for eight. Follow what I’m doing.” David put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her _once again. Something that she should be doing._

“Hey, _no._ In,” David cooed.

Gwen breathed in.

“Hold.”

She did as told.

“Out.”

She let out a long breath.

“Okay, you feeling better now?”

Gwen nodded palely. She should’ve been the one to help David through a panic attack, not the other way around. She felt stupid for even putting David through this when he had been through so much worse. No one was there for him, so Gwen just couldn’t understand why David kept trying. No one could have that much motivation and positivity, even if it _was_ their job. It was just physically and mentally impossible to be that dense to the world, and to be that _kind_ to others without expecting anything in return. 

This one summer confused her more than anything in the entirety of her life. _David_ confused her. He still cared about Gwen and the campers, even after she had confessed that they gave up on him. Hell, David just helped Gwen through a _panic attack_ for Christ’s Sake. David was the one that deserved the comfort, not Gwen.

“Thanks,” she muttered out.

David gave a smile, one that felt genuine. “No problem, CBFL.”

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, folks. Here it is, the final chapter to this two-shot. I’m sorry about the weird formatting this fic has, I wrote ALL of this crap on my phone and ao3 acts weird with it. A n y w a y s, my thumbs are tired and I hope you lads enjoy!

“We… should probably get ready for the campers, huh?” Gwen suggested after heaving herself up.

At the mention of his campers, David immediately brightened up. “Oh golly, you’re right, Gwen! We _do_ need to get ready.”

Gwen paused, taking a moment to look over David’s disheveled form. “You know what? I can wait. You should go ahead. I can go to the camper’s bathrooms to get ready. They won’t care.”

“Are you sure, Gwen?”

”You look _worse_ than shit. That answer your question?” Gwen waved David away, grimacing a bit at the smell that she was just picking up.

At that, David rushed into the shared bathroom (not without a small _“Language!”_ to Gwen first) to prepare for the long day ahead of him, leaving Gwen to her own devices and activities.

David locked the door and peeled off his clothing, placing it into the garbage disposal. He wouldn’t be able to revive the clothes after they’d been worn down so much. Blood stains were too hard to remove from denim. _Wolfy’s blood._

David shook his head to remove himself from that thought.

He scanned his body to make sure that there weren’t any open wounds that could be irritated by the water, and when all he saw were scars ( _Wolfy chomping down on him, Wolfy clawing his back while he fell from the cliff edge, sharp jagged rocks stabbing her body, blood, so much_ **_blood_ **), he jumped into the shower. David let the scalding water run over his body to relax his tense muscles, and he could remember vaguely of rinsing himself in the lake, on guard for any grizzlies on the prowl. He never trekked further than the shore—

_—water filled his lungs, his limbs flailing about as he gained consciousness and struggled for air. The fear of never being able to resurface and the liberation of escaping the treacherous waters, kneeling over the shore while gasping the precious air he oh-so needed. He threw up as much of the water as he could, or else he would_ **_die_ ** _from the diseases that plagued the waters. He was not part of nature here, he felt. He was its_ **_prey_ ** _—_

“—avid! Are you okay?!”

David flinched at the pounding of the door. He didn’t notice when the door had become so far away, when it became so _blurry._

“ _So help me_ , _David,_ I will barge in here while you’re butt-naked if you don’t fucking _answer me!”_

David realized that the door wasn’t blurry, his eyes were just teary. When had that happened? He rubbed at his eyes before answering, “Ye—ep, I’m as right as rain—” _the pounding rain, leaking through the cracks of his temporary and poorly made shelter— ”_ in here! Don’t—don’t worry ‘bout me!” David cringed at his voice cracks and the very obvious sniffling noises he made, but Gwen—it seemed—was convinced with his claim of being fine. David listened intently to her fading footsteps as he hugged himself underneath the warm water. He decided to not bother with shampoo and conditioner. It would just waste more time, since the shower had limited hot water. He survived this long without soap, he could survive another day. 

David stared blankly at the bathroom sink. 

He forgot his towel.

He also forgot to take off the yellow makeshift bandage he wrapped around his arm.

Darn. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

David walked into the mess hall, opening the doors gently. He sighed and put on his signature grin, preparing to wake up the campers with a loud greeting and get their attention. However, when he looked up, all the campers were staring at him with wide eyes—like they just saw the Loch Ness Monster floating around in Lake Lilac while doing triple flips mid air and on fire.

David was caught off guard, but immediately regained his composure while putting on a smile that hurt his cheeks. “Gooood Morning, my fellow campers! I hope you’re all ready to go because today we’ll be doing—“ David glanced at his clipboard “—can—canoeing…”

David went pale as he reread the words, his hands clenching around the clipboard, and tried to repress the memory of him _falling down the waterfall as he screamed for mercy from Mother Nature, his head pounding—_

“Yep, we’ll be canoeing so—so you kids be ready f—for that”, David said with as much positivity as he could muster.

David ignored the worried looks the children were giving him, and opted to go for some fruit for breakfast. He didn’t feel that hungry and hadn’t had that much fruit at all during his… stay at the forest, surviving off the few edible plants he knew of and hunting for his meals. It was a miracle how he didn’t have scurvy by now. Grabbing an orange off the counter felt off to David in a way, like he was expecting the citrus fruit to run off or be stolen by a nearby animal—something was touching his back.

David sprung into action, hands raised in tight fists. His heart was pounding as he scanned around for the enemy. When all that appeared within his view was a surprised trio of familiar troublemakers (Max, Nikki, and Neil), David chuckled sheepishly at them and went into a more relaxed form.

“Uh, hiya kiddos. Is there anything you need?” David questioned with uncertainty.

“The fuck’s up with you?” Max asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nikki nodded. “Yeah! I mean, Gwen said you were in the forest for a bit and that you were traumatized but I don’t think the forest is _that_ scary.”

“Hey, not everyone can just tame a pack of wolves like you, Nikki!” Neil countered.

As the trio argued about whether or not the woods were inherently frightening or not, David froze at the word _wolves._ _The claws sinking into his back as the wolf whimpered—_

David chucked the orange against the wall, grabbing the attention of everyone there. David began to hyperventilate and tried to repress the memory. Wolfy was his friend. She didn’t mean to hurt David. She was just trying to survive out in the woods like everyone else there. She was struggling just as much as he was. But she wanted to kill him. _He should’ve killed her_ . **_But he wouldn’t have been able to._ **

“David!”

David looked up to find the sound. Why was everything blurry again? When had everything become so… tall? Oh, he was sitting. On the floor. In a ball.

“Who’s Wolfy?” A familiar voice piped up.

Wolfy was someone who hurt him, and was hurt _by_ him. She was the victim and the abuser. She was someone who hurt him so much in the beginning, yet someone who saved his life near the end. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her. He told her to _go_ but she didn’t listen. She just kept insistingand hunting him down even after he warned her and told her to _leave_. She deserved it— _no, she didn’t!_

A pair of arms encased him in warmth, and David instinctively wrapped his long, toned arms around whoever was hugging him. David cried as silently as he could, before giving up and erupting into harsh sobs. He clung desperately at the warm body as he gasped for air, grieving for his frenemy. He missed her so _much,_ yet there was a small voice inside him that was glad for her death. He was torn apart by his conflicting desires, and in a mess hall full of children, he voiced those desires through broken cries.

A comforting hand rubbed David’s back. “I don’t know about half the shit you’ve been through, but it’s gonna be fine,” the voice whispered.

David blinked owlishly, before he realized who said it. “Thanks, Max.” He sniffed.

As soon as Max heard actual words form in David’s mouth instead of incoherent babbling, he shoved David away and growled with protective rage, “What the _fuck_ happened, Campman?!”

“Lan—language,” David scolded timidly.

“Fuck that! You were gone for almost a goddamn month and everyone’s been acting weird! All Gwen told us was that you were in the forest and that you were tired and we shouldn’t bother you. But that’s bullshit! Don’t you think we,” Max gestured to the rest of the campers occupying the mess hall, watching with curiosity, “deserve an explanation?”

David sighed as he wiped away the last of the tears. He rose to his feet and carried Max to the empty campfire, while waving for the other campers to follow. Max didn’t protest being carried and instead wriggled out of David’s arms and sat next to him, allowing for any support if necessary.

Space Kid sat on the other side of David, looking up at him with sad eyes. Nikki and Neil were on either side of Max, anxiously awaiting the most likely horrifying story of their lives as many of the other campers were. Dolph seated next to Space Kid and Nurf stayed close behind. Ered leaned against a tree that was nearby, but held her gaze intently on David. Nerris and Harrison were begrudgingly seated next to each other with Preston waiting excitedly for the grand story that was to come, albeit with slight discomfort.

And so, with all the campers seated, David took a deep breath and told his story of his time in The Forest.

* * *

“...And then after she sacrificed herself for me, I buried her...and we… _I_ went into the cabin. To where we are now. With—with me telling this story,” David ended.

“That was a series of events that Broadway would perform in front of thousands!” Preston exclaimed.

“Wow, I didn’t know that The Forest was its _own_ boss. I would’ve thought that something like the Grizzly Bear Cave would’ve been the boss,” Nerris commented.

The other campers had varying thoughts of their opinion on David’s backstory, but they all agreed that The Forest was something to never venture into, lest they be killed or hunted down by David himself through sheer survival instincts. Hey, if he did once, he could do it again.  
  


The fire that the Quartermaster lit was sizzling in the background, as the story took most of the day to tell and was now nearing close to eight. The campers were left to their own activities as David decided that they needed a break from the stressful month they _all_ had.

David stared at the fire, long ago dropping his smile in favor of a small grin to possibly downsize the damage that The Forest did to him, and even then, he lost his will to continue the cheery act— _especially_ at the times that he cried. When the tears fell, Max would always pat his back and coo at him reassurances of everything to be fine (begrudgingly), to everyone’s surprise. Once David calmed down, Max would drop the paternal act and snap at everyone (with a faint blush) to stop ogling.  
  


No one made fun of either Max _or_ David.

A hand went on David’s shoulder, making him jump a bit. When he turned around, it was Gwen with a mirthful smile adorning her face. David didn’t need her to say a single word to know what she meant. That one smile returned an apology worth a _million words_. David returned her smile with a slight grin and shook his head, dismissing her apology with that one movement.

Another smaller hand came into contact with David’s other shoulder, and he knew it just _had_ to be Max. David turn to face Max this time, and was met with two muttered words.  
  


“I’m sorry.”

David patted Max’s back, the same as Max had done for him, and smiled—genuinely. “It’s okay, Max. You didn’t do anything wrong. None of you did. You were right to think what you did.”

All the campers sat in peace as they listened to the fire crackle in the dark, the embers floating into the starry night sky. It was a full moon tonight, and Space Kid rambled on about half true facts about space to his fellow campers once David pointed out the moon.

David had never felt less on edge than in that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I watched the episode “The Forest”, I was surprised by how the campers DIDNT seem surprised by David’s disappearance. Especially Max, since he and David seemed to have bonded over the summer. So, I wanted to write something that would quench the emptiness in my heart. And that’s how I ended up with this.
> 
> Anywho, if you lads enjoyed, please kudos and comment! It feeds me and my black soul.


End file.
